Kabul — Multiple reports emerging from the Afghan capital suggest that Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) chief Noor Wali Mehsud has allegedly been killed in a suspected drone strike late Thursday night.
According to Afghan journalists and local sources, two safe houses linked to TTP and Al-Qaeda in the Abdul Haq Charahi area of Kabul were struck twice, reportedly targeting high-value militant figures, including Qari Saifullah Mehsud and Khalid Mehsud, both considered potential successors to Noor Wali Mehsud, who have also reportedly been killed.
While several unverified reports claim that Mehsud was among those killed, no official confirmation has been issued so far by either the Taliban authorities or the TTP.
Residents described hearing multiple explosions followed by the sound of drones, after which Taliban security forces cordoned off the area.
Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid acknowledged that an explosion had occurred in Kabul but said that “investigations are underway” and no official details could yet be shared.
If confirmed, Mehsud’s death would mark one of the most significant blows to the TTP leadership since the group’s resurgence in Afghanistan following the Taliban’s takeover in 2021. Authorities continue to assess the situation, and further updates are expected.
Born on June 26, 1978, in South Waziristan, Noor Wali Mehsud was one of Pakistan’s most wanted militant figures. He assumed leadership of the TTP in 2018 after the death of Mullah Fazlullah, becoming the group’s fourth chief. Mehsud had risen through the ranks after joining the Mehsud Taliban faction in 2003, later merging into the TTP under Baitullah Mehsud in 2007.
Recently, Mehsud’s terrorist activities, which claimed thousands of Pakistani lives, were strongly condemned by Pakistani religious scholars, with major seminaries including Jamia Al-Arabia Ahsanul Uloom Karachi and Jamia Darul Uloom Yaseen Ul Quran revoking his religious degrees, declaring his actions contrary to Islamic teachings.
The incident coincides with Taliban Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi’s visit to India for high-level talks on bilateral and regional security, his first official visit since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021.
This is a developing story, will be updates as soon as the details emerge.
